With the rumored health-related features of Apple's iWatch, market analysts believe the success of the company's latest product will depend on how strong its relationship with the healthcare industry will be, according to the New York Times.
For Tim Bajarin, analyst for the Creative Strategies firm, Apple's journey with the smartwatch can be compared to what the company went through after it unveiled the iPod.
For years, Apple negotiated with the music industry to sell songs legally on iTunes. For the iWatch, Apple may go through the same process in order to penetrate the health industry.
"I believe they've been doing that with the health market," Bajarin noted.
But even if Apple gets the approval of healthcare providers, the company still faces the challenge of securing the personal information stored in the iWatches.
With the recent iCloud hack of celebrities' accounts, the Cupertino-based company is currently in the midst of battling online security concerns.
The same issues apply to iWatch. Like any other device, these smartwatches can also be the target of cyber attackers. If healthcare providers partner with Apple for the iWatch, they too, are at risk of data theft, according to Mark A. McAndrew of the legal firm Taft Stettinius & Hollister.
"That's where the privacy issue comes into play, because health care providers are scared to death of data breaches and privacy issues," he said. "They've got to figure out a way to get them comfortable."
But of course, Apple is not taking any chances with the iWtach. Last week, it notified app developers who are working with HealthKit, Apple's new system to track health and fitness data, that they prohibited from storing information on iCloud, ZDNET reported.
Aside from pleasing healthcare providers, Apple should also be mindful of what doctors have to say about its latest device. With a gadget that heavily relies on its health features, Apple should not only worry about review from tech experts but the company should also consider the opinions of doctors.
How these medical professionals perceive the features of the iWatch can significantly affect how consumers will react to the health-tracking device, according to Cite World.
